Shea Gallagher

#reblogging just cause it's so pretty #surf n turf #life

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

She was killing me with those bare legs and wavy hair. The way she stood there, watching over the cookies as they cooled, knowingly keeping her distance. I don’t care how innocent she seemed, she had to know what she was doing to me. The impatience showed in my leg as I bounced my knee in the air while perched on the stool. But finally she was back in my vicinity with cookies and milk.

I didn’t even hesitate to bite into the warm gooey cookie that she held up for me. I chewed, my eyes wide as I nodded. They were very good, amazing even. “Mmhmm,” I hummed since my mouth was full. I washed it down with a sip of milk so I could finally speak. “Best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Thanks, Ten. Never would’ve thought you’d be a little baker. Mama must be proud,” I said before finishing off the cookie in a second bite.

I pushed the milk to her so she could have some as well and reciprocating the action, holding up a cookie for her. It was beginning to get late by the time we each had a few cookies. I pulled her onto my lap as she finished the glass of milk.

"Well thank you for that, Shea. I don’t think I deserved it, but thank you. I should probably let you get some sleep?" I asked, unsure if she wanted me to stay or hit the road. "Don’t let anything keep you from resting, okay? You’ll be fine with CeeCee and I on your back. Just do what your mentor says and make sure we find each other."

#dorothy #sheif #oops? :P #closed unless you want to add anything

I let out a small laugh as he looked satisfied with the cookies. But he was a boy and boys love food so it wasn't that surprising. Still, it made me feel good to know he enjoyed it. After quickly finishing his, he held up one for me. I had to admit, it was pretty damn good. "You're right. Mama would be proud," I agreed, leaning back against him as we sat there for a while. After a few I was already full but there was still some left so I placed them on the table. "You can take the rest with you. See if Cecilia wants some." It was the least that I could do considering she had agreed to let me in.

I didn't know what time it was but now that he was mentioning it, I was beginning to get tired. I wanted him to stay tonight but I knew that probably wouldn't be too good of a idea, just because of the fact that tomorrow would be a big day and Trystan wouldn't be too thrilled that I kept him over. I nodded my head at his words, lifting myself up to stand in between his legs again. I pressed my lips against his, just wanting to kiss him once more before he left. Suddenly a thought popped into my head and even if it I probably shouldn't do it, I couldn't help it. Just in case something bad happened tomorrow or we couldn't find each other, I had to do it.

"I love you, Leif Somerley," I whispered with my heart pounding so hard inside my chest I was sure he could hear it. I leaned in to press another quick kiss to his lips before turning to retreat to my bedroom. I didn't want to see how he would react and I didn't want to see if he would say it back. That didn't matter to me. All that mattered to me was that he heard it from me. Anything could happen tomorrow so I just needed him to know.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

She sauntered over, taking her place between my legs and resuming our kiss. The tips of my fingers found the backs of her thighs and I couldn’t resist gently tracing lines against her skin. As she deepened the kiss, she pressed against me more and my palms followed up her body until I was holding her around the base of her shoulders.

Time ticked on in the silent suite. We weren’t interrupted except by the sound of the timer going off 11 minutes later. We had barely come up for air. I don’t remember kissing a girl like that without moving onto something else since I was 14. It was nice, genuinely nice to not feel the pressure of having to immediately take Shea to bed. I’m sure it crossed her mind, but I wasn’t going to even bring it up. She didn’t seem like that kind of girl anyway.

I pouted a little as she pulled away, the timer having been beeping in our ears for a short while. Even if the cookies were burnt, that was totally worth it.

"Oopsies," I chuckled. "Damn those distractions." She pulled the cookies out and the smell of them filled the suite. I was immediately hungry but knew they’d have to cool a bit before we could eat them. "I saw milk in the fridge, we should definitely share a glass."

Goosebumps immediately rose over my skin as his fingers traced up my legs. Just the feel of his touch made my heart pound rapidly. I leaned more into him, letting my fingertips work into his hair as the kiss deepened. It was definitely the best kiss I've ever had, but then again the only boy I'd ever kissed was Leif.

The sound of the timer going off made me jump as I had almost forgotten about the cookies. The only thing that I was thinking about was him. I didn't want to leave his arms but I knew that I had to. I pressed one last kiss to his lips before walking over to the oven, sliding on an oven mitt to take out the cookies. "Damn those distractions is right," I teased, but honestly it was an amazing distraction. I placed the cookies on top of the stove so they could cool for a little.

He suggested sharing a glass of milk, so while I was up I poured a glass and waited by the cookies until they were done cooling. The smell really started reminding me of home. I quickly placed them onto a plate then made my way back over to him, climbing up onto the stool so I could sit on his lap. I smiled as I picked up a warm cookie, holding it up to his mouth. "Go ahead and just tell me how amazin' they are."

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

She was being sly, checking on me, I knew it. But I played along because it wasn’t a lie. “You are, totally my girl,” I said softly and sweetly. She might still be worried about Cecilia and I, but she had no reason to be jealous. Still, I was glad I didn’t tell her about our night last night. It wouldn’t have done any of us any favors.

She leaned into the kiss, wrapping her free hand around the back of my neck and keeping up good pace for a girl who’d only kissed one boy. But I wasn’t complaining, we were somehow in sync. I pressed a kiss to her nose and motioned to the cookie sheet.

"I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of chocolate chip cookies," I said, finally retreating to my stool. I watched her as she diligently put the batter in small balls on the sheet before putting them in the oven. "Com’ere," I whispered, my arms stretched out for her after she set the timer.

#dorothy #sheif #sounds good!

I nodded my head and I was glad that he was behind me because right now I probably had the stupidest grin on my face. "Good," I said simply. It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago we hadn't been talking and now everything was okay, better than okay actually.

I rolled my eyes with a smile as he sat back and relaxed in his stool, leaving me to finish up. I quickly rolled the batter into a dozen small balls then placed them onto the cookie sheet and into the oven. "It should only take like 10-12 minutes or so."

When I stood back up, he was motioning me over. I slowly made my way over to him, standing in between his legs as I grabbed his face in my hands, pressing my lips against his. I didn't even care if anyone walked in on us. Hell, it didn't even feel like there was anyone else in the suite besides us.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Her accent was just the cutest, especially when she was lightly annoyed and playful. I released her hips but only to wrap my arms around her and stay put. “Totally,” I added with a quick kiss to her shoulder. “No more distractions, I’ll be good!”

I waited patiently as she stirred, the buzzer of the oven went off, letting us know that it was preheated. I licked my lips as she presented the batter on her finger. She smiled innocently at me but this girl knew what she was doing. If she didn’t, gods help me. I opened my mouth and licked her finger, gently closing my lips around the batter and sucking on her a little bit longer than necessary.

"Mmmm," I hummed as I slid off her finger. "You were right. Delicious." And then I couldn’t resist myself so I snuck my finger around the edge of the bowl and gathered a little batter. Quickly swiping it on her lips, I burst into a chuckle. "Oh, Shea… you got a little something… right…" I leaned in. "Here." And kissed her, licking off the batter.

"And I'm totally your girl, right?" I added, looking over my shoulder at him for a moment before focusing back on the batter. "Good, or else you don't get any!" Not that I didn't like his distractions or anything though... because I did, I definitely did.

I laughed as he slowly licked the batter off my finger, closing his mouth around it for a few seconds. It was fun flirting with him, especially because I'd never done anything like this before so it was all new to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him playfully as he put batter on my lips. I smiled into the kiss, absentmindedly wrapping my hand around the back of his neck so that I could pull him closer to me. By now I was being pushed against the counter but I hardly cared. Almost right away though, I pulled out in a tease and turned around to grab the bowl. "We can continue that while we're waitin' but these need to go in first."

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Flirting with her was fun, different. It wasn’t laced with innuendo, but it was playful and fun and I could slip some in every now and again. I stuck my tongue out at her with a laugh. “Yes ma’am.”

I went in search of chocolate chips in the cabinets while Shea got to work on the batter. I could hear the whisk against the bowl behind me as I looked, finally finding a bag of chocolate chips. I set them on the counter and before I could sit back and relax, I was ordered to set the oven. Without a word, I did as she said and turned back to watch her.

Walking up behind her, I placed my hands on her hips and watched over her shoulder. “Oh yes, I’m watching. I’m very hands on,” I teased with a squeeze to her hips. “Now, if you’re looking for a batter taste tester, I am totally your man.”

I couldn't help but smile as he rested his hands around my hips, leaning over my shoulder to watch. When he squeezed my hips, I jumped a little and let out a quiet gasp. "Leif, you are distractin' me." I laughed, shaking my head as I finished by pouring the two bowls of ingredients together. "You're totally my man, huh?" I teased as he continued standing behind me with his hands wrapped around my waist.

If I didn't think about where we were, I could almost pretend like we were back home and it made me feel even happier than I already was. Though of course reality would kick back in eventually, but for now I would just have fun in the moment. Even if the arena was tomorrow, it was just a perfect night for me.

After stirring in the chocolate chips, I finally finished. I dipped my finger into the batter and turned around to hold it up to him. "Go ahead, try it." I said with a smile.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

She was even more alluring when she was playful. I bit my lip and shook my head feverishly. “No… no they are not,” I replied as she made her way to the kitchen, leaving me alone with the longhorn steer again. I looked up at it and shrugged. “Girls, am I right?”

I followed her into the kitchen, ready to pull up a stool and watch her work. But just as my fingers curled around the round seat, she shouted out instructions. I guess this wasn’t a spectator sport.

"Oooh and she’s bossy, too," I teased as I opened the fridge. Scanning the contents, I located the carton of eggs and pulled them out. Grabbing two, I put the carton back and took on in each hand. I held them out between my thumb and index fingers. "Two eggs. Check. Anything else, Chef Shea?" I teased.

As I was pulling out a bowl and a wooden spoon, he made a comment, which I know he was kidding about, but I still pretended to be offended. I hit him gently with the spoon and shook my head. "I'm not bossy!" I said back but let a smile form on my lips. I looked over the pile that had formed and realized I was missing one crucial thing. "Chocolate chips."

As he was looking through the cabinets, I began working on the batter. I put the sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and eggs into one bowl and started whisking it. "Oh, set the oven to 375, would you?" I asked without bothering to look up. When I wanted to I could concentrate and I wanted to make these good for him. As soon as that was done, I quickly put together the rest of the ingredients together in another bowl. "Are you payin' attention? You may need this some day," I teased with a smile.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Her suite was empty, lifeless, and still. I wondered where everyone was, but clearly they weren’t sitting around waiting for her to return. The night before the arena, I suppose everyone had better things to do. The thought of it made me sad that Cecilia was likely alone or possibly having to continually hand tissues to Ebele all night long.

"Chocolate chip cookies you say?" I asked, suddenly very interested in a treat. I hadn’t had much of a dinner and I was never one to turn down food. Plus I found it incredibly sexy that Shea wanted to bake for me. "Well I’ll believe it when I taste them," teased as she traipsed off to change.

I tossed my suit coat on the back of a chair and wandered around the suite, hands in my pockets. It was far different from that of Four’s. Distinct use of neutrals and leather. I was busy looking over the mounted longhorn steer head that rested over the fireplace when Shea came back out dressed in her pajamas. I scanned her form for a minute with a smile.

"Now you look all kinds of comfy," I said, pulling her against me. "The dress was beautiful but there’s something about a girl dressed down and cozy that just revs my engine." I kissed her then, deepening it just a little before pulling away. "But alas, cookies await."

His eyes glanced over me and it made my blush return, but this time I felt that it was fainter. Between Marcus and Leif I guess I was just getting used to having wandering eyes on my body. It still made me feel slightly self-conscious but it didn't make me want to run and hide either. Plus, it was just Leif so I didn't mind.

He pulled me close and I felt myself wrapping one of my legs around his. I smiled into the kiss, letting my fingertips gently graze across his jaw before he pulled away again. I playfully hit his chest and rolled my eyes with a smile. "I guess cookies are more interestin' than me, huh?" I teased before making my way over to the kitchen.

I began looking through the cabinets, hoping they would have all the ingredients I would need. I'd made them so many times before that the recipe was nearly driven into my mind. "I'm puttin' you to work. Go get me two eggs," I said as I pulled out the flour and sugar to add to the growing pile of ingredients.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Would I turn them? Perhaps a few, but there would be some that I wouldn’t get the chance to, not with tomorrow being what it was. I respected Shea, which was more than I could say for a majority of the girls I’d been with. Her and Cecilia were now the most important people to me, the other two being at home. And while I would’ve loved to make Shea feel everything she could before… well, I just wish we had more time.

When she invited me to her suite, there was a slight flicker in her eyes that made me grin. I had no expectations, but I would gladly accompany her down three floors, even if I was just going to make her tea and tuck her in.

"I’d be silly of me to cut our night short… on the very last night,” I answered with a smile. I stood up and held out my hand for her. “So of course I cannot deny the lady her request.” I kissed her hand playfully, moving up her forearm before straightening. We walked together to the elevator and once inside, I removed my jacket so I could see her shoulders again.

"Down to Ten," I said with a press of the button.

#dorothy #sheif #it's okay!

I smiled happily when he agreed to come down with me. It would be the first time I wouldn't feel completely alone in the suite. Yes, there was Marcus, Calista, and Trystan, but all of us were usually separated into our own rooms all the time. I stood up, sliding my hand into his and laughed as he kissed it. Before we could disappear into the elevator, I looked back out to the roof to take it all in once more. It would be the last time I would see it and that made me sad, but I quickly shook the thought out of my head.

It was a quick ride down to my suite and once the doors opened again, I pulled him into the suite. It was empty from what I saw, or at least everyone was hidden away in their rooms.

"I'm gonna go change into somethin' more comfortable then I hope you're hungry 'cause I've decided I'm makin' you my famous chocolate chip cookies," I said with a smile as I looked over at him. "I promise they're good. Mama taught me how to make 'em." I let go of his hand so I could quickly change into a soft long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pajama shorts before I came back in feeling much better now that I was out of that dress.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

"I’m all topsy turvy around you, Shea, you know that. I don’t know how to act because with you I want to be better than who I am," I confessed. She made me drip wine and roses, and even so I didn’t particularly mind somehow. I softened my eyes and pursed my lips playfully, looking her over. "Hmmm yes but there are still a few pages I’ve left to turn…" I hinted.

She was ridiculously sexy when she was bashful. Her rosy cheeks were welcome, as she was often very pale. Plus they were a reminder of how I could make her feel, a visible sign of a heart that seemed to beat extra fast in my presence.

As the sky grew darker, a set of string lights popped on around us, lighting up the flowers and pathways. And in this lighting she still looked amazing. “I probably shouldn’t keep you out too late… tomorrow’s a big day and all,” I said, testing the waters. If she was feeling tired in any way, I wanted her to rest.

I couldn't help but smile at his words. It made me feel special again and of course I was at a loss for words. So instead I just leaned closer to him and squeezed his hand, hoping my actions would say enough for me. He started getting playful and it made me giggle. If I wasn't already in too much of a good mood it probably would have made me nervous but I just felt comfortable with him. Plus, I knew that I could trust him. "Hmmm yes but the question is will you turn 'em?" I teased back, glad that the mood had been lifted from the darker conversation before.

As the new lights flashed on, I smiled and looked at him. It wasn't too late in my opinion, especially because it was our last night before the arena. Plus, I wasn't ready to go be alone again. "Wanna go back to my suite?" I asked, looking up at him with soft eyes. I would understand if he said no but that didn't mean I wanted him to say no either. Honestly, I would be more than happy if he could keep me company longer.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Tilting my head, I tossed her a look. “Please, there’s much more inside of you that you think, Ten,” I corrected her. “Otherwise, I’d have figured out how you make me feel the way I do when I’m with you. You’re not an open book, no, but I like that about you. When we first met… it’s like you threw the summary on the back cover at me… hooked me. I just had to read more,” I mused.

When did I turn into such a cheeseball? The words felt funny on my tongue but I couldn’t stop them from coming out. There was still so much to learn about her and maybe I wouldn’t get to in a five minute nutshell summary of her life, but I knew the important things… and the things that mattered right this instant.

"Never seen anything like it," I replied, staring at her and nothing else. The sun cast a warm orange glow on her skin, enough to make her shimmer just a little. Although it was probably the Capitol make-up, she still looked breathtaking. I curled my hand around hers and scooted closer before stealing a kiss from her lips.

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? And how do I make you feel when you're with me, hmm?" I said in a teasing manner, though I actually was curious about that. In a way I already knew just by the things that he did but I wanted to hear him say it. I let out a laugh at his words, finding them really cute in a cheesy way. "Tell me, have I been an enjoyable book to read so far?" I hoped so or I would be disappointed in myself.

It wasn't until I noticed him staring at me that I realized he was talking about me. It made my cheeks burn up but I didn't care. Around him I seemed to blush a lot but it was only because he made me feel special, and the color of my cheeks just showed that. Even now butterflies continued to flutter around in my stomach. I laced my fingers between his, using my free hand to cup his cheek as I kissed him back. It was probably a perfect moment; sitting on a bench in a beautiful garden with the soft glow of the orange sunset in the background. It was something that might never happen again and that just made me want it to last forever.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

I was bred to murder, I was raised to batter and bruise and make death look entertaining. I had dazzled the Game Maker’s enough for an 11 and if I intended on winning over Annabelle in order to help ensure my win, I would need to be fearless. As I held her, I wondered if it was possible for me to do so with her by my side. There was no way that I could second guess in the middle of a kill. I had to know.

As I spoke, her grip on me tightened. I could feel her tense against me and I was scared it was because she knew that she’d eventually see the monster in action. She pulled away and resolved all my fears in one fell swoop, however. My eyes washed over her as a smile crept onto my features. I knew, even as she spoke, that once we were in the thick of it that she would hold her own.

"Alright," I whispered. "Alright, good. Now you know who I am… and you know what? All I know about you is the basics… so why don’t you tell me more?" I asked. The noise from below echoed and the breeze picked up, so as I asked, I guided her into the garden so she could see everything before the sun went down.

I smiled back at him, relieved that we had gotten that over with. Obviously it would come back in the arena, but that time it would be shown in our actions. For now it was all just words, things we were saying over and over again to reassure ourselves that things would be okay even when it got hard.

His request made me laugh a little as he lead me into the garden. "What do you wanna know 'bout me? I may not always be a completely open book, but there's not really much inside to start with. Honestly, I think I could tell you my whole life story in 'bout five minutes," I teased, though it was probably true.

We sat down on a bench in the garden, and it almost seemed like the noise got blocked out just a bit. As the sun slowly started to set, I stared out at it. It reminded me so much of home and if I could, I would have stayed here forever just watching it go down. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

I kept going over things in my head. I should’ve done it sooner… I should write Erik that letter… I shouldn’t have let the Game Makers deliver him to me like that… but in the end, it was a relief that it was done and I had been rewarded for it, actually.

She cupped my cheek, guiding me until our eyes met. She didn’t look down on me for it, and if she did, then… I don’t know. It was the wrong time to have done it if she had. She snuggled in closer to me and I held her against me, her cheek against my rapidly beating heart.

"I know that maybe you think that what he did to me makes it okay," I said softly. "It does and it doesn’t. But the reality is that we’re about to be thrown into the arena, a place where I’ll have to do it again. And next time you’ll have to watch me do it. Or help even. And I need to know that you’ll still feel this way even when the only reason I have to kill is so I can go home."

As my head rested against his chest, I started counting his heartbeat. It was pounding so hard that I could feel it but it actually calmed me down. I stayed where I was as he started talking again, but by the time that he was finished I noticed that my grip on him had tightened. Maybe it was because I was afraid of the truth or maybe it was because I needed him to know that everything would be okay, even if it wouldn't really.

I eventually pulled out but kept my arms wrapped around him, letting my eyes find his again so he knew that I meant what I was going to say. "Don't you remember what I said? Nothin' you say or do is gonna change the way I feel 'bout you. And I don't care if the only reason why you're killin' is so you can go home... 'cause in reality I'm gonna have to do the same." Maybe it wasn't something that I wanted to do, or think about even, but it was the truth. It was the only way that any of us could go back home, whether we liked it or not. Kill or be killed.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

A smirk adorned my lips as I tucked my hands into the jacket and wrapped them around her waist. “Yup,” I teased with a wink.

Clearly I really knew how to kill the mood, but it was important and if we got all that out of the way then we could have fun. We’d done it the other way around at the lake and I’d rather part with her tonight, when we have to prepare for the arena, on a good note.

"Well Caesar asked me about where he’s been during my interview, right…" I began, unsure if she saw my interview or not. "Apparently people have noticed but aren’t really suspicious yet. Which is good for me… because… I killed him," I admitted, looking out into the fading sun instead of at Shea. "I just thought that you should know. Although I guess it might not surprise you."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and it made me smile. "Lucky me." It was a good thing that I felt comfortable with him or else I would have just freaked out about everything he did. In all honesty, I liked being in his arms. It made me feel safe and warm.

He began explaining, so I looked up at him with soft eyes. It wasn't exactly an easy topic to be talking about but it was better to talk about it now rather than later. I nodded when he mentioned his interview as I had actually watched it and knew what he meant. He finally confessed though and at first my mouth dropped a bit. It just wasn't what I was expecting to hear. But eventually I knew I had to do or say something. I reached my hand up to cup his cheek, gently forcing his head down so that he was looking at me.

"That doesn't make me look at you any different, okay? No one can blame you for doin' what you did, and maybe it should feel wrong sayin' that but it doesn't 'cause he hurt you," I said, wanting to make sure he knew I wasn't thinking any less of him because of that. "Thank you for tellin' me." I pulled him close to me again, closing the gap between us.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

Her response made me smile. “Good. And… well, I kind of hope that you two meet before we head in… even though I’m not sure when that would happen since we leave tomorrow. But I don’t want you to have any reservations about her. Okay?” I asked sincerely.

She shivered just a little and for the first time in my life, the gentlemanly thing to do nearly smacked me in the face. I slipped off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"We wouldn’t want you to freeze," I said with a smile. "Now… I guess there’s one more thing I have to tell you and… the only reason I hadn’t said it before is because it didn’t happen until yesterday," I added, knowing that it had to come out. "My old man… is dead."

I nodded, willing to do anything to show how appreciative I was. I knew she wasn't happy about it at first but the only thing that mattered to me was that she agreed. I didn't care if she liked me or not but as long as she didn't try to kill me, we would have no problem.

Clearly he had seen that I was a little cold because he quickly wrapped his jacket around me. "I guess now I'll have to keep you warm, huh?" I teased with a smile.

My smile dropped when he said those words though. I just stared at him for a while, not really knowing what to say. It felt wrong to feel happy because he was dead, but I wasn't upset either because of what he had done to Leif. I was just mostly confused and shocked. So eventually I just did the only thing I could think of which was wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head against his chest. "What happened?" I asked quietly.

Dorothy & the Tin Man \\ Shea & Leif \\ Post Interviews

If only the expanse of buildings around us was the ocean, crashing against the sandy beach. That’s the only thing that would make this more perfect. The night sky faded from navy to purple to orange with tinges of pink, reminding me, again, of home. She pulled me closer, bridging the gap between us until her lips met mine. She was enthralled by the view and thankful to the person who brought her to see it.

My fingers traveled down her gown, resting on her hips for a moment. The kiss was sweet, gentle, and again like most things I hadn’t experienced. When she pulled away, our eyes locked so close together, forehead against forehead.

"Come on," I whispered, breaking our connection. I pulled her over to the ledge so that we could look out over everything. The noise of the people celebrating below was intense and as much as I enjoyed it, I found myself slowly aggravated by it. It would’ve been nice to have a quiet moment and sound seemed to carry and bounce off the buildings. Still, the view was breathtaking and something that neither of us were used to, especially Shea.

"You know… CeeCee said she’s okay with you joining us," I blurted out suddenly. "So…" I turned to her, cupping her cheeks in my hands. "Will you?"

My eyes flickered from him to the scene around us to him again. As we leaned against the ledge, I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and stared out into the city. The lights were so bright and the buildings were so tall. The people below us were annoyingly loud but I forced myself to ignore it. I didn't want anything to ruin this moment, and I had a feeling nothing would.

I started thinking about Mitch and Mabel and thought about how much they would love this view, especially Mitch. He was always the one up early in the morning watching the sunrise with me. Suddenly, however, he spoke out again and it snapped me out of my thoughts. I didn't mind though because of what he had said.

As his hands rested against my face, I couldn't help but smile. "Of course I will." I couldn't imagine being alone in the arena, not when I could help it at least. The fact that Cecilia had agreed to let me come with them made me respect her. Clearly she wasn't as bad as she pretended to be and I could see that now.